Method of lubricating internal-combustion engines



Patented May 17, 1927. 1,628,647

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

ARM'AN E. BECKER, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO STANDARDDEVELOP- KENT COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

METHOD OI LUBRICATING INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES- Jio Drawing.Application filed October 28,1925. Serial No. 65,697.

This invention relates to an improved fore justified by their increasedlength of method of lubricating internal-combustion service. The"percentage of soap comengines. In accordance with the invention,pounded with white oils or the like may be the crank-case of the engineis supplied with the same as above mentioned; 6 a hydrocarbon lubricantcontaining a small In preparing the oil-soap lubricant it is percentageof a saponified compound, espegenerally desirable to a ply h eat. Thisfacially an alkali metal soap of a high fatty cilitates solution and oviates the tendene acid or acids of the soap to separate from the oil, adi The oil-soap lubricant, in a preferred culty which may be encounteredin soluforin, comprises lubricating oil of good tions prepared bymixture at ordinar temgrade containing a sodium soap in effectiveperature. The process of forming t e oilamount less than 0.5% by weightof the oil. soap lubr1cant forms' no part of the present However,my'invention is not limited to pre- Invention, but is included in thesubject matcise proportions of soap and oil, and any tor of my pendingUnited States patent apcomposition having the desired viscosity and p al n s lflfll N s. 593,906, filed October lubricating qualities 'atengine temperature ll. 1922, and 751,401, filed November 21, may beused. In general more than 0.5% of 1924- 1 soap will cause the formationof a gel at or- 1 have found by extensive tests under dinarytemperatures with oils of viscosity fl IE IY n B condltlolls thatfhehigh enough for best results in internal-com- Presence of a soa of thetype described bustion engines. In cases where light lubri- 11 anInternal-00m ustion engine lubricant eating oils are satisfactory,higher percentha a marked beneficial elfect. The tendency ages of oapmay be used without solidificato carbon fOImHtIOII upon the cylinderwalls tion. Lubricating oil of about 285 to v 290 is gr a y r d R O IB-i H 0rknockseconds Saybolt viscosity at 100 F. containing in the engineis D m Z In'many ing about 0.15 to',O.25% of a sodium soap, casesremoval of carbonalready formed has especially sodium oleate, givesexcellent been effected by the use ofmy lubricating results. Anintermediate percentage, say composition. Among oth a ge it 0.17%, hasgiven a maximum benefit on exreduction of engine temperature and 1I1-tensive tests. creased horse-power result from the prac- It will beclear as 'the description proceeds, ic 1 H118 invention.

that the effect of the soap is not merely to Thewater which may beformed by conincrease the viscosity of the lubricating oil densation inthe crank-case has no adverse nor merely to improve its lubricatingprop-- ell ct upon the oil-soap lubricant. In fact, erties. In all casesI- prefer to use an oil in many cases Sm amounts of W ter, say having initself characteristics adapting it up to 2 or 3%, appear to increasesomewhat for advantageous use as an internal-comthe efliciency of thelubricant. bustion engine cylinder oil. My invention A further importantadvantage of the oilis based upon the discovery that the soap has soapcomposition is its action on the trans- .40 special functions,especially in connection, mission and brake bands of motor vehicles withparts liable to foulin b carbonaceous having a lanetary geartransmission. The

of my invention is the effect of thesoap'in face of the bands issubstantia l prevented reducing friction on bearings and all movand theresulting objectionable chatterin 46 ing parts, and in permitting thedesirable is minimized. In those cars having t e fluid film lubricationover a wider ran e planetary mechanism and bands in a case of speeds andloads for agiven feed of 011-. opening into the crank-case, the oil-soaplu In some cases I use a white oil or other bricant supplied to thecrank-case will serve highly purified hydrocarbon voil of lubricatfortreatin the bands. The action on the 50 ing characteristics andcontaining a soap of bands may m in part a softenin or deglazthe typedescribed. Such oils resist oxidaing effect, but I shall refer to itgenerally tion and other chemical changes much better herein aslubrication. than the cheaper lubricating oils of ordi- My invention isapplicable to the lubricanary type, and the use of white oils istheretion of internal-combustion engines of all t g or gummy deposits.An incidental feature fouling with carbon or glazin of the sur- I ingsupplying to surfaces tending to become fouled with carbonaceous orgummy deposits, a liquid composition consisting essentially oflubricating oil containing an alkali metal soap of a fatty acid in aneffective amount less than 0.5% by Weight of the oil.

2. Method of lubricating internal-combustion engines, comprisingsupplying to the cylinder Walls of the engine a liquid compositionconsisting essentially of lubricating oil containing an alkali metalsoap of a high fatty acid in an effective amount less than 0.5% byWeight of the oil.

3. Method of lubricating internal-combustion engines, comprisingmaintaining in the cf'ank-case of the engine a quantity of .a

liquid composition consisting essentially of lubricating oil containingan alkali metal soap of a high fatty acid in an effective amount lessthan 0.5% by Weight of the oil,

and supplying the same to the cylinder Walls of the engine.

l. Method of lubricating internal-combustion engines, comprisingmaintaining in the crank-case of the engine a quantity of a liquidcomposition consisting essentially of lubricating oil containing about0.15 to 0.25% by Weight of a sodium oleate, and supplying said oil-soaplubricant to the cylinder walls of the engine.

5. Method of lubricating internal-combustion engines, comprisingmaintaining in the crank-case of the engine a quantity of a liquidcomposition consisting essentially of highly purified lubricating oil ofthe type of white oil and containing a soap in effective amount lessthan 0.5% by Weight of the oil, and supplying said oil-soap compositionto the cylinder Walls of the engine.

(5. Method of lubricating internal-combustion engines, comprisingmaintaining in the crank-case of the engine a quantity of a liquidcomposition consisting essentially of highly purified lubricating oil ofthe type of white oil and containing a sodium soap of a high fatty acidin an eii'ective amount less than 0.5% by Weight of the oil, andsupplying said oil-soap composition to the cylinder walls of the engine.

ARMAN l3. BECKER.

